RR wanted to know: John--have you any irrational fears?
I thought of this after the discussion about Orwell's books on L's blog. I never read Animal Farm, but I did read 1984 when I was eleven and afterward I gained a fairly irrational fear of rats eating my face off. Not that, if it was about to happen, I wouldn't be justified in being completely terrified, but it's not exactly likely, is it? Given I don't live in a dystopia and I'm not trying to overthrow a totalitarian regime, I feel fairly safe from being abducted off the street and fed to rats. So it was a bit silly.
And actually when I picture it now (and I can picture it more accurately than I could then, unfortunately) I find it still leaves me a little queasy.
Also bees, sort of. I'm not phobic and I can cope with them with no outward signs of distress, but I dislike them a lot more than is justifiable considering all they can do is sting me a bit. But yeah, mainly rats eating my face off. Thanks, George Orwell.
Though I should say I've read others by him (without face eating) that I quite liked. Down and Out in Paris and London and Keep the Aspidistra Flying are two of my favourite books.
I thought of this after the discussion about Orwell's books on L's blog. I never read Animal Farm, but I did read 1984 when I was eleven and afterward I gained a fairly irrational fear of rats eating my face off. Not that, if it was about to happen, I wouldn't be justified in being completely terrified, but it's not exactly likely, is it? Given I don't live in a dystopia and I'm not trying to overthrow a totalitarian regime, I feel fairly safe from being abducted off the street and fed to rats. So it was a bit silly.
And actually when I picture it now (and I can picture it more accurately than I could then, unfortunately) I find it still leaves me a little queasy.
Also bees, sort of. I'm not phobic and I can cope with them with no outward signs of distress, but I dislike them a lot more than is justifiable considering all they can do is sting me a bit. But yeah, mainly rats eating my face off. Thanks, George Orwell.
Though I should say I've read others by him (without face eating) that I quite liked. Down and Out in Paris and London and Keep the Aspidistra Flying are two of my favourite books.
87 comments:
Sectionndiing the rat thing. That's an image that's stuck for a bit.
Seconding, that is.
I promise to do my best to protect you from face eating rats. And bees. Although surely wasps are worse than bees?? Bees make lovely honey. Wasps are just thugs.
First, tHank you for answering, John.
And then may I say: Eeuuuwwwwww! You've hot a doozy there. *shudder*
I certainly read 1984 and I remember the general plot pretty well, but apparently I totally erased that particular image from my memory. (Excellent job, memory--do it again, please!)
I'm terrified of being alone >_> Also a bit claustrophobic. I can deal most of the time but there are times where I just freak out. It's... interesting. In the full Chinese curse sense of the word.
I hope you guys are having a good day so far!
I've a definite fear of being fat again. Not that it's likely as we've figured out what was wrong to begin with and I take medication. But
Bronwyn
Tink, I think being alone is a pretty national fear. I mean, long term alone. I know my mum has it, and I think I do too.
Claustrophobia on the other hand...I like small spaces. Makes me feel safe.
Oh, 1984 kept me up a few fair nights, with a full-on Fox Mulder paranoia (exacerbated by living in a house with seven other people.Talk about Fish Bowl Syndrome.)
I mostly save my hysterics for earwigs though.
One had the nerve to crawl out of my tea kettle. Is nothing sacred?
Greg: It's scary being alone. I really don't like it. And the weird part of the claustrophobia is there are times when I just want to curl up into a small space and escape everything... I dunno.
Bronwyn: *GLOMPS*
Snakes. I hate them. We had a grass snake in our back garden once and I hardly dared go out for a week. It was totally harmless, although it did hiss at the cat. Entirely the cat's fault though because he had patted the snake on the head to see what it would do.
Disappointing or angering someone. Not my favorite thing. Also, the world would be much happier without cockroaches. *shudders*
Geckos! I'm terribly afraid of geckos!
It is even more irrational because I'm a biologist and we're not supposed to be squeamish about any animals (my professor says so)...but they're just...ew...and scary...
>.<
I promise to do my best to protect you from face eating rats.
I appreciate it! Wasps are worse than bees, but they don't bother me as much. I don't know, it's not like I have any traumatic bee-related incidents in my past. Maybe because bees come in bunches and wasps generally come one at a time?
Pommery - an earwig in one's tea kettle would be enough to put anyone off.
Spiders. I hate spiders, even the ones I know are perfectly harmless. I hate most bugs, but arachnids hold a special fear in my heart. *Shudder*
I don't think I have any irrational fears. Lots of (what I consider to be) rational ones. But no irrational ones that I can think of.
I feel left out.
But shall tell you Sally is terrified of balloons...because I'm nice like that.
I never heard of fear of balloons, but I bet there's a long scientific name for it.
I love small spaces and solitude--of course, that's when I've a choice about it. I don't know that I'd feel the same way if I didn't. And I don't like bees (I've been stung and I did NOT like it) and hate roaches and waterbugs and the other creepy crawlies that turn up in Manhattan apartments--including mice--HATE, I say--but I'm not terrified of them.
I do have an irrational fear of somehow being accused of something horrible and not being able to get anyone to believe me even though I haven't done anything. I have no idea where that comes from.
Also I get the wobblies from getting up high and looking down, but I don't think that's irrational. I have no problems if I'm behind a window, or in a plane--only if it's somewhere I could fall off of.
Being afraid of balloons is perfectly sensible. Closest I've come to thumping someone was a 'balloon sculpture artist' who wouldn't move away when asked. I couldn't move because it was before a performance of Barnum and I was in my seat
Hey Sally, it's okay. We still love you, like when we found out your porn name, and it's not like most of us aren't baring our fears as well! (I had a friend afraid of clowns and everyone teased him, until he put one down on the ground [fairly gently for a Judo throw really...] and then everyone magically stopped teasing!)
The sharing is something I love here... Each of these blog posts (on both your blogs) is getting us to open up about ourselves and answer the questions you've been asked ourselves. So cool.
DW: Do you need another way to get in contact with me? Tumblr is still up for holiday cards and such and you can get in touch with me there. tinkthelittlesister if you forgot. If not, I'm sure we can figure out a way to get in touch with each other!
They do make a horrible noise when they pop. I'm not a fan of sudden loud noises in general.
Most you seem to have reasonably rational fears. Sort of.
Sal, I know you'd do the same to me.
RR - have you read Kafka's The Trial? If not, don't.
Sally - Globophobia, right? It's not too late to fill his office with My Little Pony memorabilia. Just saying.
She needs no encouragement.
You do NOT want to know what was in my office this morning. (she says it had nothing to do with her)
I really really really do want to know.
I have not actually read anything by Kafka, but I've certainly read enough about his works to know what The Trial is about. Since my phobia predates my literary "sophistication", I was very careful not to read it, in fact. My head needs no encouragement.
We all really really want to know!
Is it as bad as The Metamorphosis, John? That one gave me nightmares for weeks as a kid.
This is supposed to be a family blog. I'm not sure I can post details.
Let's just say it involved a... tail, a riding crop and a note saying 'For when you and your stallion are feeling frisky'.
I almost believe that it wasn't Sally. But don't quite believe she was entirely innocent...
It wasn't me! But you can't pretend you weren't laughing, Sir. It was pretty funny.
O.O
You have quite a team there, Greg, with an interesting sense of humor. =) Dare I ask where those "gifts" ended up?
As for irrational fears, I am terrified of Disney zombies, like I will have nightmares after Pirates of the Carribbean...never mind actual horror movies...
~A from NW
I've never had a team out quite so much effort into their piss taking.
I am, of course, taking them home to my stallion. Joint gift to both of us. Would seem churlish not to.
Brave team, Sally. Whoever came up with it...
*blinks* I'm never going to be able to think of My Little Pony quite the same way again, that's for sure...
He should take it as a compliment. Means we all think he can take a joke.
It had nothing to do with me though.
Nevertheless, are you prepared for balloons in your office? Do you have your own office?
I think teams that can laugh together weather storms better as well. It's obvious you guys care about him as much as he does you.
I've never had a team out quite so much effort into their piss taking.
Ha! Money too. I don't think those things are cheap.
DW - I thought it was worse than Metamorphosis, but I suppose it's all in how you look at it.
Sally - Just how many people at the Yard know about these blogs, and just how many of those good officers did you introduce to said blogs?
Greg - That sounds like an appropriate plan. =) However, I would put the gifts somewhere that Sherlock can't get to. Riding crops can be dangerous items if you leave them lying about.
RR - I totally agree with your comment...
-A from NW
I don't want to ask why you'd know the price of such things, Danger.
And I don't know if I'm more worried that my team bought it, or the thought one of them may have had this lying around (it is all still packaged...thankfully).
A - there are certain places Sherlock knows he's not to look in. And cant reach anyway.
DW - there aren't many laughs around here with work sometimes, so I can't get angry at them for things like this. My choice to publicise via blogs that my boyfriend and I have drawn on each other's bums. Sort of. (danger's fault though)
Oh, for the love of...really? I mean, there aren't boots and stuff involved, are there? (I need a vacation. My friends 13 year old just informed us all about a certain...act I shall not describe, with a name I won't tell you so Certain Persons won't google it. At 35 I wasn't sure anything could surprise me in that realm, but man, this one sure did.)
Anyway, I have an irrational fear of being trapped underwater. I refuse to ever go in a submarine, and even the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Disney World freaked me out as a kid. I used to have nightmares of being trapped in a pool that someone puts a glass cover over so I can't get out and I drown. *shudder* But what are the chances of that happening? Really remote. And yet.
Sally, that is amazing. Not that you were responsible, of course -- heavens no! -- but I trust you can pass along the message. Nice to see by contrast to some of the other crap L has to put up with that his time can take the piss so... affectionately, and creatively.
Art has been delayed, I'm afraid. Some stuff came up after I got home yesterday and it's just ... taking a bit out if me. I hope to get back to things this week, though. In the interim, thought you might like this: http://www.regretsy.com/2011/10/20/my-little-pony/
So many more options to choose from when selecting each other's my little pony avatar!
Mazarin - now I'm *really* curious 0_0
Lestrade - that is some creative piss-taking. I'm impressed :-)
I get claustrophobic if I think I can't get out of a confined space, even something like going up old spiral staircases in castles and cathedrals where you can't easy just turn around and head back down. And I get quite freaked out when I feel like there's a lack of privacy? It's difficult to describe, but I get kind of claustrophobic; I was visiting someone in hospital the other day, in one of those six-person wards, and everything was so *public*. I was on edge just visiting, thinking how I'd need my iPod and headphones and phone and netbook and Kindle to all act as a shield between me and everyone else if I was ever stuck in there. Definitely an irrational fear.
I'm not good with spiders and birds and stuff that flaps or buzzes or skitters, but I think that's entirely rational :-p
L - I only know because of that shop you took me to!
Mmm. Then why were you looking at...those?
Not that it matters, you're now the proud owner of one.
Giddy up!
I was looking at everything! I had no idea most of it existed.
Hah. Come and have a massive hug. Promise I haven't got the riding crop.
Oh jeez, Nameless, I honestly don't know if I can even describe it in a polite way, it's such a crass, disgusting thing.
(It's called a monkey slap. Do yourself a favor and just don't look it up, it is that nasty. Yes, I got my knowledge of it through a 13 year old girl. Boys, I swear to all that is holy, if I find you looked this up I will get a ticket, fly over to the UK, and give you both head slaps and ear tweaks. Don't try me on this, I mean it.)
I'm assuming the silence means everyone is off madly Googling it?
Almost certainly.
When my cousin was little she was scared of balloons, and my brother and I used to put them in doorways to trap her (we were such assholes).
I'm scared of cockroaches and mice. *shudder* And I seem to have a bad habit of renting flats in hundred-year-old wooden buildings. Yeah, not smart...
I googled it 0_0
Sorry, guys! It's...really horrible. Like, relationship-ending sort of horrible, if the man I loved did it to me.
But I'm guessing the girls weren't entirely clear on exactly how this was done, so I'm sort of laughing at them for being so naive, and myself, for being so far out of the loop!
DID I NOT TELL YOU, Nameless? YOU CAN'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.
I'm assuming the silence means everyone is off madly Googling it?
Almost certainly.
Well, actually I was off innocently writing my own blog post-of-the-day. But since you're going to assume I was googling it anyway, I suppose I may as well.
Not googling... not googling...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO REReader don't do it!
Maybe I will, and maybe I won't.
First I have to take the laundry down to the driers.
Ha, you did indeed warn me, Mazarin; don't worry though, I can cope with the horror :-)
I'm so glad this is on your blog. My blog gets accused of enough stuff already.
Mmm, I'm going to call urban legend on that one (assuming what I found on google is what you're referring to), putting it alongside such things as the dirty Sanchez, Chinese Dragon, Donkey Punch (I think thats the name) and etc. Dan Savage talks about all these invented sex acts -- seems to frequently be the teen crowd who discusses and popularizes them, combining taboo subject matter with a gross out factor. :)
Oh, well, then. It hardly seems worth looking up an urban legend, so I won't bother.
(Unless I did already. Heh heh heh.)
X - I've always wondered how many people do these things, then admit to doing them to a group of friends and then invent a name for them! I mean, I've seen my share of people getting up to odd stuff in the bedroom, but I'm pretty sure most of them don't name the acts.
Sounds very much made up to me.
That's the thing - it seems more like a frat-boy prank than anything else. But yet, like L said, people do get up to some odd things in the bedroom, and as much as I don't want to think about it, because it exists, someone has tried it. And people do like to talk about it, sometimes.
Like our little pony boys over here. :D
I have no idea what a frat boy is...
And the note said he was a Stallion. That's Doctor Stallion to you lot.
Oh, pardon me, L. Stallion boys. I apologize profusely for the error.
And frat boys are American college/uni guys that are in fraternities - and are notorious en masse for really bad, drunken, obnoxious, disgusting, sometimes criminal behavior. Not all, mind, but a significant enough portion to earn their reputation. Like hooligans, maybe?
If you ever saw Animal House (or any North American movie set at a university since then) you know what a frat boy is.
Ponyboy - does anybody else mentally jump back to the high-school books discussion? The Outsiders? No? Just me?
RAL - I remember reading that book in high school! Well, I don't actually remember much about it, except that I admitted I didn't cry over a certain scene and was thus accused by a classmate of having no heart...
As a kid, I lived in a house with ivy growing up the side. When the ivy grew too much, it could grow right through my window into my bedroom. I remember more than one night with me hiding under the blankets in bed, trying very hard not to be scared out of her mind and never daring to put the light out and eventually rushing up to the window and tearing it all away, all the while still terrified that it would suddenly come alive and grow really hard and come and get me... Somehow.
I'm pretty sure I still would not be able to sleep in a room where there's ivy growing in through the window. *shivers*
Your fears mostly sound pretty scary as well..
People can make up disgusting things without actually doing them, too. :). I'm not disputing that scat play exists (see, again, Dan Savage for discussions of any and all atypical sex acts), but teenage boys like to out gross each other, which is why there are so many named and unlikely sex acts of which a monkey slap is only one, and arguably not even the worst.
I imagine someone somewhere has done it, but I would be willing to bet it was made up and named first, hit Urban Dictionary and 4chan and etc, and then was tried out if that were the case. :)
Pony play -- sorry boys, /stallion/ play -- is positively tame in comparison. Heck, there have been hour long tv specials investigating it as a subculture!
I had no idea that there was anyone else out there with a fear of balloons! They totally freak me out. For some reason, balloons popping make me cry. So embarrassing. I feel for you, Sal.
M- I used to have nightmares that my car would go off a bridge and I'd get trapped and drown. *shudder*
...yeah. Going to go think happy thoughts now. Ugh.
Calliope, weren't you on holiday? Are you still traveling?
Hi DW! *waves*. I'm home again, and I'm back to work tomorrow. My new boss started on Monday, so that should be ...interesting. Did your stuff ever arrive? Also, can you believe that I couldn't find a Tinkerbelle shaped keychain that actually said Tink or Tinkerbelle? ( I ran across a whole rack of those keychains. No " Calliope" either.)
alas on the keychain. clearly a travesty. did you enjoy your trip? where did you go?
my stuff has not arrived. they're now saying sometime the week of the 28th, but again, not holding my breath. i did get internet/tv today so that was a plus. :)
DW- well...that's something at least. *does best librarian glare at the movers*. I had to go to SoCal for a wedding, so I took my hubby to Disneyland for his birthday. I think he invented Extreme Disneying. Ow. I did have fun, though, and I kept wanting to get something for Tink, what with all the Tinkerbelle stuff about.
"Extreme Disneying"?
I Think he could train triatheletes or something. I wish I'd brought a step counter with me.
DW - glad you've got entertainment, but I can't believe your belongings aren't there yet!
I can gear Danger making up that care package as we speak... do you like woolly jumpers? They're his speciality...that and food and hugs.
I only found out that much because I went and jumped on someone's desk. I'm almost positive now the Mayflower made it faster. At least my family lives close, so I go there on the weekends. Mixed blessing, that. ;)
Wooly jumpers are his specialty? He's got more than the one Sherlock "filched" from Harrods? Jumpers don't let your boyfriend cuddle behind and stick his hands in your pouch, though...
He has more than one wool jumper, yes. Quite a lot more than one. They're all creeping out of the wardrobe now it's turned cold again. Most of them werent stolen by Sherlock, either. Knitted by a gang of mad grannies or something, I imagine.
I'm a fan of them on him, but not really for me. I prefer getting lost in a big sweatshirt/hoody. However, if he did get jumpers with pouches then I wouldnt have to pt my cold hands up his jumper to warm them up, would I? Might suggest that to him...
And glad you've got family nearby for home comforts if you need them. Although I can see how it would be a slightly mixed blessing, yes.
Jumper with pouch:
http://www.jamesandjames.com/pictures/ucla/large/uckw1055dgm.jpg
et voila
*ahem* People who aren't grannies, mad or otherwise, like to knit. And one can never have too many expertly hand-knit sweaters (jumpers to you). That is all.
RR - we call them jumpers or sweaters. Interchangable. And I know other people knit. I just imagine Danger has a gang of delinquent grannies doing his bidding. Like the ones on the Shreddies advert (i'll see if it's on YouTube, so you know what I mean)
DW - I'd call that a cardigan with pockets. But I think he'd look pretty good in it regardless. Mind you, he looks good in anything! (or nothing...)
I knit! I'd be happy to make you a sweater, John, if you'd like. :) I just don't know how I'd get it to you without having an address.
Semantics. :P. Still looks like enough space.for.two sets of hands, which is the important part. Well, that and the warm body inside. ;)
I should never be left along with the internet and time on my hands. I've just ordered both the George Orwell books that you liked.
Oh excellent, I hope you like them. I'd recommend reading Down and Out first. It's the more entertaining of the two, certainly.
Nooooooooo, don't do this to me, I have a pile of unread book THIS high!
DW, Lestrade - I think it should be called a 'hoodigan' (the unholy merging of hoodie & cardigan). Makes sense, really. Gotta love a good cardy, and a good hoodie. Why not combine the two?
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